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THROUGH FINLAND. 291
of the Finlander in the very ftrongeft light, is that of the feal, or
phoca vitalina of Linneus. The feafon of this chafe begins when
the fea breaks up, and the ice floats in fhoals upon the furface.
Four or five peafants will place themfelves in an open boat, with
one trifling maft, fet off to fea, and be more than a month abfent
from their families. Thus they expofe themfelves to all the dan-
gers of the high feas, have a fmall fire which they kindle on a fort
of brick hearth, live upon the fleth of the feal, which is extremely
good, and bring home the fat and the fkins. The perils which
thofe voyagers have to ftruggle with are incredible: they are every
inftant between maffes of ice which threaten to crufh their bark
to atoms: they get upon the floating fhoals, and, creeping along
them, {teal cautioufly upon the feal, and kill him as he repofes on
the ice. Seven years ago, two Finlanders only fet out in a boat
for this chafe. Having got fight of fome feals on a little floating
ifland, they quitted their boat, and got upon the ice, moving on
their hands and knees to get near them without being perceived.
They had previoufly faftened their boat to the little ifland of ice
they difembarked upon; but while they were bufily engaged
in their purfuit, a guft of wind tore away their boat, when, fiece:
ing with other fhoals, it was broken in pieces, and in a few
minutes entirely difappeared. The hunters were aware of their’
danger when it was too late: they were now left without help,
without refource, without a ray of hope, on their little floating
iland. They remained two weeks on this frail fragment; the
heat which diminifhed its bulk, and alfo its prominent fur-
eh pia pr face,
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